School District Bans PTA Ice Cream Sales

A New Jersey school district has ordered the PTA to stop selling ice
cream to students on campus because the longtime fundraising violates
state and federal law.

For years the PTA in Parsippany, New Jersey sold ice cream once a
week on campuses across the district. The money was used to fund
cultural arts programs and field trips for the students.

But earlier this week, the district superintendent sent a letter to
the group informing the parents that those tiny cups of ice cream could
no longer be sold on campus.

“We don’t know the full extent of the issue, but the PTA cannot sell
ice cream during our lunch time hour,” PTA president Liz Kadian told Fox
News. “It’s disturbing to many parents.”

Supt. LeRoy Seitz told Fox News that the district has no choice in the matter.

“While we fully understand that our students enjoyed the PTA ice
cream fundraisers in the past and that the ice cream sale fundraiser was
very successful for our PTAs, we cannot approve activities, including
PTA ice cream sales that are in violation of state regulations,” he said
in a statement.

The law forbids any food sale fundraising efforts during the “hours when our school nutritional program is in operation.”

“It is unfortunate that we cannot permit the PTA ice cream sales
during the hours that lunch is being served and again, we have asked our
principales to work with his or her PTA to find other opportunities to
fundraise that are in compliance with state regulations,” he said.

“I think it’s ridiculous and a majority of the parents feel the same way,” Kadian told Fox News. “It’s a once-a-week treat.”

Dozens of parents are voicing their extreme displeasure about the new ice cream ban on the Parsippany Patch website.

“I can only imagine what will be next,” one parent wrote. “Will the
school board start checking lunch boxes making sure that parents did not
pack too many Twinkies or yodels?”

“Whether it is federal, state or local government-mandated, another
piece of childhood innocence is being taken away,” another parent wrote.
“How sad that an elementary school child can’t look forward to buying
something as simple as an ice cream bar once a week.”

Last week more than 1,000 students at Parsippany Hills High School
staged a strike against the cafeteria to protest federal guidelines
governing portion size. As a result, a number of parents are now packing
lunches for their children.

Kadian said she understands the USDA’s concerns over healthy lunches –
but she noted that the ice cream they sold met state guidelines. The
ice cream cups contained about four bites of – and the ice pops were
sugar-free.

Teachers also used the weekly ice cream sale as an incentive –
offering students the chance to earn certificates for a free treat.

But Kadian said the bigger issue is fundraising. Without the ice cream sales, many student activities could be jeopardized.

Our ASB just sold boxes of krispy Kremes at lunch last week. The kids loved it. Next week the sophmores are selling candy. All of it is for fundtraising.

And in the elementary the kids can choose ice cream as a side item.

I love my school!

Krispie Kreme is yummy.....but they use Trans Fats in them. You do know how harmful Trans Fats are,right? And candy---HFCS? Your school is promoting unhealthy snacks and treats. Your kids' health will suffer. We had a Krispy Kreme store in our suburb but it closed within a year . losing business,losing money,because nobody wanted to stuff Trans Fats down their throats.

Schools have a responsibility to the kids. Parents do too, if they are informed and aware.

Krispie Kremes are a huge treat for our area. The closest one is 2 1/2 to 3 hours in either direction. My family has them about once a year.

And the candy is also a special treat. It is not sold every day and every week. But at least it is still allowed. Parents have the option to decide whether their children can partake and buy it or not.

Moderation is a huge. Treats and desserts are great in moderation. And that is the philosophy of the parent and our school.

Oh and we also sell boxes of apples donated by a family with an orchard, along with many other fruits and veggies. MODERATION and CHOICE!

The laws that I quoted are the laws that apply to schools who receive government funding for their nutrition programs.

I made a comparison between people on food stamps having to follow rules (a lot of women on here say "if you want a free handout then don't complain about the rules) and schools having to follow rules to receive a similar kind of "handout". I did not say that these laws apply to people on food stamps. I don't know where you came up with that idea.

Quoting NutHouseMomma:

But this is not the case. I have seen people use their food stamps/EBT to purchase sodas, koolaid, cookies, ice cream, bakery items like cakes, candy, chips, etc. Ridiculous!

Quoting sissyboogs:

New Jersey Regulation:

C.18A:33-16 Regulation of items sold, served, given away on school property.

2. a. As of September 2007, the following items shall not be served, sold or given away

as a free promotion anywhere on school property at any time before the end of the school

day, including items served in the reimbursable After School Snack Program:

(1) Foods of minimal nutritional value, as defined by the United States Department of

Agriculture;

(2) All food and beverage items listing sugar, in any form, as the first ingredient; and

(3) All forms of candy as defined by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture.

Here's how I see it: people on foodstamps have to follow rules and regulations or else they face consequences, can be forced to pay fines, and can lose their foodstamps. It's really no different, except this is a school...receiving government funding. They have to follow rules and regulations. Sure, they've been doing this fundraiser with no issues until now, but I'm betting someone got wind of it and the school district was told they needed to stop or they would have to pay fines or lose funding, something along those lines. That's just how it works.

When my daughter attended a TX school, they wouldnt allow her to have anything they didnt deem healthy. They actually took away her snack cake I packed in her lunch. I was quite upset they took her food.

Quoting Sisteract:

Oh I agree- serve it at home- where you are the person making all the decisions. The schools should not be dispensing stuff that we know is not healthy and the tax payer should not be footing the bill for bad choices. Parents, in the confines over their own homes, are free to serve all the crap that they want. In terms of the school day, parents could still pack a lunch full of ho-hos, chips, ice cream and soda for their snowflake to consume at lunch. You still have a choice.

Quoting RowdyRoxyRainbw:

I disagree with you. It does matter that government thinks it can make decisions for me and my family to this extent. I do pack my kids lunches though. The government consistently adds more and more mundane laws and I feel as though our liberty is slipping through the cracks..straight on down to what food choices we make. If we want to run ourselves to the grave thats a personal choice and not the governments. If we want our children to have an icecream or a sugar free pop once a week as a parent we can dedcide. It's not the governments place to tell us what we can or cannot eat.

Quoting Sisteract:

Snowflakes do not need super sized portions or ice cream during the school day.

No kid was ever permanently damaged from eating appropriate proportions, and nutritional meals devoid of sweets.

AND seemingly FEW parents/adults/ teens have the personal responsibility necessary to make the best food and exercises choices all on their own.

Teachers, incentives, treats...kids aren't show animals.

I know, liberty, nanny state, blah, blah.

None of it matters when you're prematurely dead d/t your terrible habits- the schools (we, we are the schools) do not need to perpetuate the problem.

When my daughter attended a TX school, they wouldnt allow her to have anything they didnt deem healthy. They actually took away her snack cake I packed in her lunch. I was quite upset they took her food.

Quoting Sisteract:

Oh I agree- serve it at home- where you are the person making all the decisions. The schools should not be dispensing stuff that we know is not healthy and the tax payer should not be footing the bill for bad choices. Parents, in the confines over their own homes, are free to serve all the crap that they want. In terms of the school day, parents could still pack a lunch full of ho-hos, chips, ice cream and soda for their snowflake to consume at lunch. You still have a choice.

Quoting RowdyRoxyRainbw:

I disagree with you. It does matter that government thinks it can make decisions for me and my family to this extent. I do pack my kids lunches though. The government consistently adds more and more mundane laws and I feel as though our liberty is slipping through the cracks..straight on down to what food choices we make. If we want to run ourselves to the grave thats a personal choice and not the governments. If we want our children to have an icecream or a sugar free pop once a week as a parent we can dedcide. It's not the governments place to tell us what we can or cannot eat.

Quoting Sisteract:

Snowflakes do not need super sized portions or ice cream during the school day.

No kid was ever permanently damaged from eating appropriate proportions, and nutritional meals devoid of sweets.

AND seemingly FEW parents/adults/ teens have the personal responsibility necessary to make the best food and exercises choices all on their own.

Teachers, incentives, treats...kids aren't show animals.

I know, liberty, nanny state, blah, blah.

None of it matters when you're prematurely dead d/t your terrible habits- the schools (we, we are the schools) do not need to perpetuate the problem.

Nothing is stopping parents from feeding children ice cream at home, right? And surely, the PTA can think of something else to sell...I feel like everyone should stop whining and move on with their lives.